DENVER — The tattoo shop that started a fundraiser for the families of those killed in the 2021 Denver-Lakewood mass shooting is now in need of help.
Five people were killed in the December 2021 shooting rampage that began at Sol Tribe Tattoo and Piercing in Denver and spanned across the metro, ending in Lakewood. Three of the victims — Alicia Cardenas, Alyssa Gunn-Maldonado and Danny Scofield — were tattoo artists and beloved in the tattoo community. Sarah Steck and Michael Swinyard were also killed in the shooting.
After the mass shooting, Stevi Miller and her husband, Martin Sandoval, owners of Modified Madness in Thornton, organized a fundraiser with 13 Denver metro tattoo shops to raise money for the families of the five victims.
Miller and Sandoval opened Modified Madness shortly before the shooting. After tackling the hurdles of opening a business, the two were finally starting to feel comfortable. But last month, a vehicle collided into the front of their store, destroying their entire front entrance, which is now covered by plywood.
"This is our life. This is my husband's dream," Miller said. "It took a long time for our dreams to come true, and we sacrificed a lot, our children sacrificed a lot. And right when we think we're kind of getting over the mountain and getting that first year of business done, something like this happens, and it just set us back beyond imagination right now."
According to a Thornton police report, officers believe the suspect or suspects were attempting to steal the shop's ATM, but left the scene when they were unable to get it.
While police continue to investigate, Miller said they are left with tens of thousands of dollars-worth of damage their insurance won't cover.
"Unfortunately, we learned the hard way that we didn't have proper insurance coverage," Miller said. "The emergency repair for somebody to come that night to put up four pieces of plywood was $1,600. We have to put a deposit on the windows before we can even get them going."
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up to help the couple repair their shop. To donate, click here.
